Ducey to likely see Arizona bills Brewer rejected

PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona's incoming governor may be faced with a lot of the same bills his predecessor passed on.

Sponsors of legislation that Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed said they see Gov.-elect Doug Ducey as a possible second chance. Lawmakers including state Rep. John Kavanagh and Rep. Warren Petersen say they are already making plans concerning certain measures.

The Republican from Fountain Hills, who is moving to the Senate in January, intends to revive a bill banning aggressive panhandling. Brewer said the bill didn't clearly address any statewide concern.

Petersen, a Republican from Gilbert, wants to sponsor an anti-regulatory bill that Brewer vetoed last year. The bill enforces civil penalties on government officials who make licensing decisions based on requirements that aren't permitted under state statute. Brewer had called the bill "punitive and unnecessary."

Petersen said he is hopeful Ducey's business background will mean a shared opinion.

"What's great about Ducey is he knows what it's like to work in the real world and run a business and deal with red tape. So when it comes to government accountability, I see him signing anything in that fashion that crosses his desk," Petersen said.

Some high-profile bills that Brewer vetoed include legislation that would have given added protection from lawsuits to people who assert religious beliefs in refusing service to gays. She also denied a bill exempting ride-sharing businesses such as Uber from the same state-imposed requirements as taxis.

She vetoed legislation three times that would allow people with concealed weapon permits to bring firearms into public buildings.

Ducey has already started getting in touch with legislative leaders, Republicans and Democrats. He said how much he communicates with them about legislation will depend on the issue, but he does plan to maintain good communication.

"I typically do like to operate from a standpoint of little to no surprises," Ducey said. "So I think that's how you build relationships and get things done."

Brewer vetoed 141 bills in her six years as governor. Only her predecessor, Democrat Janet Napolitano, has vetoed more.